After 15 years of bringing James Bond to life over the course of five films, Daniel Craig officially retired from the role of 007 in 2021's "No Time To Die." The film served as a definitive send-off to Craig's iteration of the character, who was subject to varied quality with his films. The odd-numbered entries were great ("Casino Royale," "Skyfall," and "No Time to Die), while the even-numbered entries left much to be desired ("Quantum of Solace" and "Spectre").
Academy Award-nominated filmmaker
Denis Villeneuve is set to direct "James Bond 26," which he will tackle right after he completes work on his much-anticipated trilogy capper, "Dune: Part Three." Naturally, most of the speculation online is now on who will succeed Daniel Craig. While fans continue to throw out every young British actor possible for the new 007, there is at least one acclaimed actor who does not see himself as a fit, and that is none other than "Smoke" star Taron Egerton.
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Taron Egerton Believes Casting Him As James Bond Would Be A Waste
Although Taron Egerton is no stranger to the espionage genre, thanks to his breakthrough role as Gary "Eggsy" Unwin in the "Kingsman" film franchise, you can count him out of the running for one of the most in-demand lead roles in film today. The Golden Globe-winning star of "Rocketman" acknowledges his love for 007, but believes he is the wrong candidate. He pondered over the opportunity in an interview with Collider:
"No. And I don't think I'm a good choice for it. I think I'm too messy for that. I think I'm not— I really love James Bond and particularly Daniel Craig's tenure. But I think I wouldn't be good at it, and I think there's so many cool, younger actors who would be great for it. I think it would be wasted on me, probably."
With that being said, Egerton is still open to pursuing more commercial franchise projects. However, he believes that signing on to play James Bond would be too significant a commitment for him, given that the significance of the role could possibly overshadow the rest of his career, one where he has showcased significant range as an actor. He continues:
"But that's not to say that I don't have aspirations and plans and also that I wouldn't be interested in doing something that's more commercial, because of course I would. I think I'm a period in my life where, as you say, I've been probably following the things that speak to me on a creative level a little bit more, but, you know, I'm sure I won't feel that way forever. But James Bond is quite an undertaking and I think, one, as far as I'm aware, nobody's asking me to do it. [Laughs] But also, it's possibly not quite the thing that would make me happiest. I do think it's a big old undertaking, it kind of consumes your life, a role like that."
What Four-Quadrant Franchise Will Taron Egerton End Up Joining?
Although Taron Egerton is a recognizable and respected actor, he has yet to appear in a major four-quadrant film franchise (i.e., Marvel, DC, "Star Wars). While he has led the first two "Kingsman" films, those films are based on a Mark Millar comic book series that is not a household name the same way Marvel and DC's marquee characters are. Egerton's other film franchise is Illumination's "Sing," where he plays Johnny, a teenage singing gorilla.
Egerton is a common candidate amongst geeks for potential actors to join a franchise, whether it be the MCU, the DCU, or the "Star Wars" universe. He was also a contender to play young Han Solo in "Solo: A Star Wars Story," although he also ultimately felt like he was not a good fit. Egerton has the talent and screen presence to carry a film franchise, and although he clarified that he remains open to pursuing more commercial projects, perhaps a series with such a legacy as "James Bond" is not the right role for him. Perhaps he is also aware of how Daniel Craig grew exhausted with the character, and with that in mind, is more interested in pursuing projects that inspire him to refine his craft, rather than be tied to a massive tentpole. That being said, there is no doubt that Egerton remains an in-demand actor, and whatever franchise is lucky enough to have him involved will be all the better for it.
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